PM Dr Abiy Arrives to China to Attend BRI Forum (April 23, 2019)

Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed arrived in China today to attend the second Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum which will be held on April 25-27 in Beijing.

Launched close to six years ago, BRI is an ambitious effort aimed at strengthening infrastructure, trade, and investment links between China and some 65 other countries.

Ethiopia is among the first batch of African countries that signed cooperation documents concerning jointly building the Belt and Road.

With Chinese support, it is playing a bigger role as a bridge and a link for jointly advancing the initiative in Africa.

This year forum will be held under the theme “Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future.”

The forum events include leaders’ round-table, high-level meeting, thematic forums, CEO conference and other side events.

Representatives from over 100 countries, including 40 leaders of foreign governments have confirmed their attendance.

The first Belt and Road Initiative forum was held in 2015.